"Tina?" Bette called out as she entered the house, dumping her suitcases in the hall. "Tina? You home?"

She wandered further into the quiet house, noting with a smile that the worktop of the kitchen was displaying an alarming number of takeaway cartons. Suppose there's not much point cooking for one, she thought, smiling wryly as she put the presents she had bought for Tina on the table.

She checked her watch  7 o'clock. Too early for Tina to be out with the gang, too late for her to be at work. Bette made her way up to the bedroom, intending on catching a shower and a change of clothes before tracking down her illusive lover. Running through places she could be, she got to the top of the stairs and stopped dead in her tracks.

There was noise. Coming from their bedroom.

Stepping lightly so she wouldn't alert the intruder to her presence, she slowly made her way towards the open door, concentrating on the sounds.

Wait...that sounds like moaning. Since when did burglars moan?

Curious, she crept closer, until she could see directly into the room. What she saw made her knees go weak and a delicious heat rise from a point slightly higher.

Tina was lying on the bed naked, the covers fallen down to her waist. Her face was scrunched up in a very familiar expression as one hand rolled her nipple between her fingers, and the other hand moved rhythmically beneath the sheets.

Bette could tell Tina was close  she had walked in just as it was getting interesting. Smiling, she leant against the door frame, thoroughly enjoying the show.

Tina's body began to shake as her muscles contracted and relaxed. She worked her hand faster, reaching up with her thumb to rub her clit. She conjured up an image of Bette the last time they had made love, her body shiny and strained as she orgasmed, her eyes full of lust and that was all she needed.

"Bette " she cried as she went crashing over the edge, her back arching towards the ceiling as wave over wave crashed over her. She was held in that place of pure bliss for one moment, before she relaxed and she slumped back onto the bed, trying to catch her breath. She kept her eyes closed, not wanting reality to seep in before she'd finished imagining Bette's arms were round her, taking her out of the clouds and holding her down to the world. She placed her hand over her heart, feeling the racing beat slow down until she was blissfully calm.

"Having fun?"

She recognised that voice. Her heart rate picked up again as she sat up, eyes eagerly roaming over the woman in the door way, arms folded.

"What are you doing here?" she rasped, her voice not fully responsive yet.

Bette pushed herself off the door frame and sauntered over to the bed, loving the way Tina's gaze couldn't decide which part of her body it wanted to stay on. "Well, I thought I would fly home early as a surprise. Tend to the needs of my wife." She raised an eyebrow. "But it seems you're doing fine without me."

"Doing fine without you?!" Tina asked incredulously. "You've been in New York for four weeks! I had to resort to my hands and imagination, which, I'd like to point out, I haven't done for seven years. I am so not fine!"

Bette chuckled. "Aww, poor baby," she said with mock pity. "What do you want me to do about it?"

Tina sighed. Bette loved to tease, loved to draw their love-making out until she couldn't take anymore sensations and she thought she was going insane with every little caress and then shatter her into little pieces. She could tell this was going to be one of those nights. After all, Bette had four weeks of teasing to make up for.

"Well, first I'd like you to take your clothes off. Do you think you could do that for me?"

"Only if you tell me you love me."

"Baby, I love you so much. Now, please will you take your clothes off?"

Bette grinned, and slowly raised her hand her blouse. Without breaking eye contact, she popped each button and shrugged her shoulders, letting the white silk fall to a pool on the floor. Tina's mouth fell open at the bronze skin exposed to her, Bette's beautiful breasts encapsulated in cream lace she didn't recognise.

"Been shopping?" She hoped her voice hid her desire, but by the look on Bette's face it didn't.

Bette didn't reply in words, just undid her fly and let her trousers join her shirt on the floor. They were soon accompanied by her bra and thong, until she stood at the foot of the bed completely naked.

"Now what?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.

Tina had to literally drag her eyes up to Bette's face. "Come here," she ordered in a voice made deep with need.

Bette's grin grew even wider at the thought, but she gave in and crawled onto the bed, pulling back the covers and placing herself between Tina's legs. Tina's eyes rolled back and she tried in vain to bite back a moan as Bette lowered her body so they were pressed together, stomach to stomach, nipple to nipple, sex to sex.

"Oh, Bette "

"Look at me," Bette commanded in a whisper. "I need to see you "

Tina managed to focus on Bette's face hovering above hers, and the naked lust she saw set her body on fire. Unable to wait any longer she brought Bette's mouth to hers in a hungry kiss. Bette, taken aback by the sudden move, was powerless to resist as Tina flipped them over so she was on top.

When the need for air became too much Tina broke the kiss and began to lick and suck a path down Bette's body towards her breasts. Gently she took one nipple into her mouth and suckled lightly, while her hand lightly kneaded the other. She was perfectly happy to stay in that position, paying homage to her lover's body, but she felt Bette begin to push at her shoulders to go lower.

Aah, not so calm and collected now, are we? she thought with amusement.

Her tongue was just entering the patch of brown curls between Bette's legs when the phone rang, and Tina froze.

"Tina, not now!" Bette pleaded breathlessly, placing her hands on Tina's head to keep her there. "Don't stop, you can't!"

With an apologetic expression, Tina removed Bette's hands and moved up the bed, gently smoothing out the furrows in Bette's brow.

"Dammit," she cursed when she looked at the bedside clock. "I was supposed to be meeting Alice."

"So? Call her in the morning!"

"Baby, you know what she's like. If I don't answer, she'll be round here banging on the doors. Do you really want her interrupting?"

Bette sighed. As usual, Tina was right. "Fine," she murmured, waving her hand in the direction of the cell phone on the night stand. "But get rid of her. Quick."

Tina gave her a heart-melting smile, then grabbed her phone. "Hey Al," she said, rolling off Bette and sitting up, but not taking her eyes off her naked body. Bette smirked and sat up herself, leaning against the headboard as she reached out and stroked a hand down Tina's face.

~Hey, where are you? I thought you were coming down to Milk?~

Tina blinked and looked away. "I won't be " she croaked, before stopping and clearing her throat, sending Bette into a fit of silent giggles. "I won't be coming out tonight," she repeated, her voice only wavering on the last word.

~Why not?~

Tina didn't reply immediately, as Bette had captured her mouth with her own, and was busy running her tongue along the length of Tina's.

~Tina? You still there?~

Pulling away, Tina playfully swatted the hand that was slowly inching its way down her body.

"Yes Al, I'm still here. I've just had a better offer, that's all."

~A better offer? What's that supposed to mean? What ?~ There was a long pause, as Alice's brain finally began to process the hoarse voice, long pauses and rustling bed sheets. Tina could almost hear the penny drop, and she had to cover her hand with her mouth to stop herself laughing at the loud gasp on the other end of the phone. ~Oh my god, Tina! You're having sex!! What's going on? I know Bette has been away a long time, but she's coming back soon! Are you in your right mind?!~

Bette, who had been listening to Alice's exclamations, grabbed the phone from Tina.

"Hey Al, its Bette. Tina won't be coming out tonight. In fact, you won't see her until Monday, ok?" This was followed by a lot of spluttering. "Have a good night." And with that she let the phone drop onto the floor, falling back onto the bed.

"Monday?" Tina asked with a smile. "Three whole days?"

Bette held out her arms, and Tina curled into her embrace so they were laying side by side facing each other, their faces inches apart. "Is three days not long enough for you?" Bette teased.

The answering kiss was wet, passionate and erotic, leaving both women gasping for more. Tina placed tiny kisses around Bette's face as she slowly slid one hand down her body and into her wet folds.

"Ohhh " Bette groaned, copying Tina's actions as she felt two long fingers slide into her. Her lips instinctively sought her lovers, and she swallowed Tina's cries of pleasure as she began to slowly thrust.

They moved in sync, each giving and receiving in equal parts, until their muscles strained and shook. They climaxed almost simultaneously, ones orgasm setting off the other, and they collapsed into a tangle of sweaty limbs.

"Wow " Bette breathed as soon as coherent thought returned. She settled her head on Tina's chest and sighed contentedly as she felt arms snake round her waist. They lay in silence for a few moments, revelling in the feel of soft skin next to their own after so long, before Bette spoke again.

"So, did you like your present?"

"What present?" Tina chuckled, looking down Bette. "You mean the underwear? I didn't really get to see it, you took it off so quick!"

"Yeah, not really what I had imagined. I had this whole seduction plan, thought it out perfectly but then you kinda ruined it by masturbating in front of me."

"It was " Bette struggled to find the words and began to gesture weakly with her hand, but soon gave up and let it fall back to Tina's hip. " hot," she finished finally. "The first time I see you for four weeks and phew!"

"Did it turn you on?" Tina asked huskily, letting her hand slide lower so it was caressing Bette's buttocks and upper thighs.